Abstract: Methods of determining and controlling the deformability of ceramic materials, as a nonlimiting example, YSZ, particularly through the application of a flash sintering process, and to ceramic materials produced by such methods. Such a method includes providing a nanocrystalline powder of a ceramic material, making a compact of the powder, and subjecting the compact to flash sintering by applying an electric field and thermal energy to the compact.

Abstract: A method of strengthening a component made of a metallic material. The method includes subjecting the component to a mechanical grinding process incorporating a relative motion between a tool and the component forming a gradient structure on the surface of the component, resulting in increased tensile strength of the component. A method of strengthening a component made of a TWIP steel. The method includes subjecting the component made of TWIP steel to a mechanical grinding process incorporating a relative motion between a tool and the component forming a gradient structure containing a surface nanolaminate layer, a shear band layer, and an inner deformation twinned layer, resulting in increased tensile strength of the component. A component made of a TWIP steel containing a gradient structure with a surface nanolaminate layer, a shear band layer, and a deformation twinned layer.

Abstract: Methods of determining and controlling the deformability of ceramic materials, as a nonlimiting example, YSZ, particularly through the application of a flash sintering process, and to ceramic materials produced by such methods. Such a method includes providing a nanocrystalline powder of a ceramic material, making a compact of the powder, and subjecting the compact to flash sintering by applying an electric field and thermal energy to the compact.

Abstract: A high-strength aluminum alloy coating. The coating includes aluminum, 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, stacking faults, and a solute capable of stabilizing the 9R phase, the fine grains, and the stacking faults. A method of making a high-strength aluminum alloy coating on a substrate. The method includes, depositing the constituents of an aluminum alloy on a substrate such that the deposit forms a high-strength aluminum alloy coating containing 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, and stacking faults. A high-strength deformation layer in and on a casting of an aluminum alloy containing 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, stacking faults, and a solute capable of stabilizing the PR phase, the fine grains, and the stacking faults. A method of making a high-strength deformation layer in and on a casting of an aluminum alloy by deforming the alloy such that deformation layer contains 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, and stacking faults.

Abstract: A nanohole template is disclosed which includes a substrate and a vertically aligned nanocomposite (VAN) structure disposed over the substrate. The VAN structure is a metal nitride having circular periodic nanoholes of about 2 nm to about 20 nm in diameter.

Abstract: A high-strength coatings and methods of fabrication to yield single-crystal-like nickel containing nanotwins and stacking faults.

Abstract: A method of strengthening a component made of a metallic material. The method includes subjecting the component to a mechanical grinding process incorporating a relative motion between a tool and the component forming a gradient structure on the surface of the component, resulting in increased tensile strength of the component. A method of strengthening a component made of a TWIP steel. The method includes subjecting the component made of TWIP steel to a mechanical grinding process incorporating a relative motion between a tool and the component forming a gradient structure containing a surface nanolaminate layer, a shear band layer, and an inner deformation twinned layer, resulting in increased tensile strength of the component. A component made of a TWIP steel containing a gradient structure with a surface nanolaminate layer, a shear band layer, and a deformation twinned layer.

Abstract: A method of strengthening a component made of a metallic material. The method includes subjecting the component to a mechanical grinding process incorporating a relative motion between a tool and the component forming a gradient structure on the surface of the component, resulting in increased tensile strength of the component. A method of strengthening a component made of a TWIP steel. The method includes subjecting the component made of TWIP steel to a mechanical grinding process incorporating a relative motion between a tool and the component forming a gradient structure containing a surface nanolaminate layer, a shear band layer, and an inner deformation twinned layer, resulting in increased tensile strength of the component. A component made of a TWIP steel containing a gradient structure with a surface nanolaminate layer, a shear band layer, and a deformation twinned layer.

Abstract: A high-strength aluminum alloy coating. The coating includes aluminum, 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, stacking faults, and a solute capable of stabilizing the 9R phase, the fine grains, and the stacking faults. A method of making a high-strength aluminum alloy coating on a substrate. The method includes, depositing the constituents of an aluminum alloy on a substrate such that the deposit forms a high-strength aluminum alloy coating containing 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, and stacking faults. A high-strength deformation layer in and on a casting of an aluminum alloy containing 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, stacking faults, and a solute capable of stabilizing the PR phase, the fine grains, and the stacking faults. A method of making a high-strength deformation layer in and on a casting of an aluminum alloy by deforming the alloy such that deformation layer contains 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, and stacking faults.

Abstract: Methods of increasing the deformability of ceramic materials, as a nonlimiting example, titanium dioxide, particularly through the introduction of defects, and to ceramic materials produced by such methods. Such a method increases the deformability of a ceramic material by introducing high-density pre-existing defects and oxygen vacancies in the ceramic material during a flash sintering process and then forming nano scale stacking faults and nanotwins in the ceramic material. Such a ceramic material contains high-density pre-existing defects and oxygen vacancies and nano scale stacking faults and nanotwins, and may exhibit deformability in a temperature range of room temperature to 600° C.

Abstract: A high-strength aluminum alloy coating on a metal or an alloy. The coating contains an aluminum matrix, 9R phase, fine grains in the size range of 2-100 nm, nanotwins, and at least one solute in the aluminum capable of stabilizing grains of the aluminum matrix. A method of making a high-strength aluminum alloy coating on a substrate. The method includes providing a substrate, providing at least one source for each constituent of an aluminum alloy, and depositing atoms of each constituent of the aluminum alloy from the corresponding at least one source of each constituent of the aluminum alloy on the substrate utilizing a deposition method, wherein the deposited atoms form an aluminum alloy coating containing 9R phase, fine grains, and nanotwins.

Abstract: A method of the fabricating a metal-nitride vertically aligned nanocomposites is disclosed which includes applying a pulsed laser onto a composite target, the composite target including a two-phase metal-nitride plasmonic nanostructure, depositing adatoms of the composite target onto a substrate, and nucleating metal over the substrate and growing metal and nitride thereover until a predetermined size of vertically aligned metal nitride nanocomposite is achieved including metal nanorods embedded in nitride.

Abstract: A high-strength aluminum alloy coating. The coating includes aluminum, 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, stacking faults, and a solute capable of stabilizing the 9R phase, the fine grains, and the stacking faults. A method of making a high-strength aluminum alloy coating on a substrate. The method includes, depositing the constituents of an aluminum alloy on a substrate such that the deposit forms a high-strength aluminum alloy coating containing 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, and stacking faults. A high-strength deformation layer in and on a casting of an aluminum alloy containing 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, stacking faults, and a solute capable of stabilizing the PR phase, the fine grains, and the stacking faults. A method of making a high-strength deformation layer in and on a casting of an aluminum alloy by deforming the alloy such that deformation layer contains 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, and stacking faults.

Abstract: A high-strength coatings and methods of fabrication to yield single-crystal-like nickel containing nanotwins and stacking faults.

Abstract: Methods of determining and controlling the deformability of ceramic materials, as a nonlimiting example, YSZ, particularly through the application of a flash sintering process, and to ceramic materials produced by such methods. Such a method includes providing a nanocrystalline powder of a ceramic material, making a compact of the powder, and subjecting the compact to flash sintering by applying an electric field and thermal energy to the compact.

Abstract: A method of strengthening a component made of a metallic material. The method includes subjecting the component to a mechanical grinding process incorporating a relative motion between a tool and the component forming a gradient structure on the surface of the component, resulting in increased tensile strength of the component. A method of strengthening a component made of a TWIP steel. The method includes subjecting the component made of TWIP steel to a mechanical grinding process incorporating a relative motion between a tool and the component forming a gradient structure containing a surface nanolaminate layer, a shear band layer, and an inner deformation twinned layer, resulting in increased tensile strength of the component. A component made of a TWIP steel containing a gradient structure with a surface nanolaminate layer, a shear band layer, and a deformation twinned layer.

Abstract: A high-strength aluminum alloy coating. The coating includes aluminum, 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, stacking faults, and a solute capable of stabilizing the 9R phase, the fine grains, and the stacking faults. A method of making a high-strength aluminum alloy coating on a substrate. The method includes, depositing the constituents of an aluminum alloy on a substrate such that the deposit forms a high-strength aluminum alloy coating containing 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, and stacking faults. A high-strength deformation layer in and on a casting of an aluminum alloy containing 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, stacking faults, and a solute capable of stabilizing the PR phase, the fine grains, and the stacking faults. A method of making a high-strength deformation layer in and on a casting of an aluminum alloy by deforming the alloy such that deformation layer contains 9R phase, fine grains, nanotwins, and stacking faults.

Abstract: Materials, including metals such as bulk metals, specialty alloys, metallic films and coatings, are made up of many tiny single crystals, which may also be referred to as grains. The boundaries between crystals are called grain boundaries and govern properties such as mechanical strength, deformation, and electrical resistivity. These properties are affected by not only the number of grain boundaries formed, but also the density and orientation of those grain boundaries. Twin boundaries are a special type of grain boundary which have symmetrical “mirror image” structures and preserve favorable qualities of grain boundaries while suppressing unfavorable properties such as the initiation of cracks, inclusions, and other unwanted flaws. Some metals and alloys form twins more easily than others during processing.

Abstract: Materials, including metals such as bulk metals, specialty alloys, metallic films and coatings, are made up of many tiny single crystals, which may also be referred to as grains. The boundaries between crystals are called grain boundaries and govern properties such as mechanical strength, deformation, and electrical resistivity. These properties are affected by not only the number of grain boundaries formed, but also the density and orientation of those grain boundaries. Twin boundaries are a special type of grain boundary which have symmetrical “mirror image” structures and preserve favorable qualities of grain boundaries while suppressing unfavorable properties such as the initiation of cracks, inclusions, and other unwanted flaws. Some metals and alloys form twins more easily than others during processing.

Abstract: Very high strength single phase stainless steel coating has been prepared by magnetron sputtering onto a substrate. The coating has a unique microstructure of nanometer spaced twins that are parallel to each other and to the substrate surface. For cases where the coating and substrate do not bind strongly, the coating can be peeled off to provide foil.